Serie A - Adriano to take a break from football

Eurosport - Fri, 10 Apr 13:21:00 2009

Brazil and Inter Milan striker Adriano has said he will be taking a break from football and will rethink his career.

FOOTBALL ADRIANO INTER SERIE A BRASILE - 0

"I don't know if I'm going to stay for one, two or thee months without playing. I'm going to rethink my career."

He denied he was suffering from depression, added that happiness was more important than money, and said he had been living with the pressures of being a professional footballer since he was a teenager.

Adriano failed to return to Italy after the recent World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Peru, in which he was an unused substitute.

His agent Gilmar Rinaldi had previously said Adriano had stayed in Brazil because of a private matter and confirmed the player had spent time in Vila Cruzeiro, a Rio de Janeiro favela notorious for violence, where he was raised.

Since then, Brazilian media had been full of speculation over what had happened to him.

"There's no way I'm going to stop visiting my community," said Adriano. "That's where I'm at ease, barefoot and in bermudas."

"A lot of things have been said in the newspapers but everything I've done has been thought through. I'm not ill. Adriano's not dead," he said.

The striker, who has 29 goals in 47 appearances for Brazil, made his mark at international level when he was top scorer at the 2004 Copa America and the following year's Confederations Cup after replacing the unavailable Ronaldo in both tournaments.

He also scored a hat-trick in World Cup qualifier against Chile in September 2005.

The powerful forward has struggled with fitness and alcohol problems since the 2006 World Cup, showing only flashes of the form that made him one of the world's most feared predators.

He spent six months on loan with Sao Paulo in the first half of last year but after returning to Inter he irritated coach Jose Mourinho with a perceived lack of commitment.

But Adriano, who has had a number of false dawns, had been edging back into favour at the club in the last two months.

"I genuinely wasn't happy in doing what I've always enjoyed. I've lost the appetite, the glow. That's one of the things which made me do this. Money's not important, nothing is important in life apart from happiness.

"There's no other problem. I like to laugh, to joke around and that wasn't happening any more. I wasn't enjoying myself on the pitch.

"I've got nothing against Inter but I wasn't happy in Italy. There has been very great pressure on me since I was 18. I've taken this decision so I can be happy again. It's nothing to do with depression, I know what I'm doing."

Reuters

Comment 14 - 33 of 33

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  1. One double Bacardi on the rocks coming right up mr.­ Adriano and
    you can keep the bottle

    From obliss, on Sun 19 Apr 4:36PM

  2. he should go to turkey to @#$% few turkish girl it will­ make him feel better

    From akam, on Fri 10 Apr 8:27PM

  3. he should go to turkey to @#$% few turkish girl

    From akam, on Fri 10 Apr 8:26PM

  4. CANT ANYBODY REALISED WHAT THIS UNREPENTANT BLOKE IS­ TRYING TO DO?HE WANTS OUT THE CONTRACT WITH­ INTER;SOMEBODY IN MILAN HAS ENCOURAGED HIM TO USE THIS­ METHOD THAT WILL MAKE HIM AVAILABLE FOR THE DERBY IN­ TWO YEARS TIME.
    GOES TO BRAZIL PLAY A SEASON,THEREAFTER­ BOUGHT BY THE PRIME MINISTER ON A FRESH CONTRACT-ON A­ ZERO PARAMETER.A MAN, FOOTBALL OWN IT'S OWN CANNOT­ GIVE HAPPINESS,CAN NOT GET BETTER ON BOOZE AND IMMORAL­ FRIVOLITIES.

    From gaskini, on Fri 10 Apr 12:43PM

  5. Hes made a fortune from the fans now he walks away . I­ only wish the fans would take a break and understand­ football is designed to redirect you away from the­ truth of what is really going on . The truth that is­ that voice saying there is something wrong here it is­ your inner guide wake up see the lies . Maybe Adriano­ has .

    From Glenn T, on Fri 10 Apr 11:01AM

  6. Money and fame would only make life a bit comfortable­ but it is not responsible for making us happy. Infact,­ money and fame unchecked leads to distruction. People­ and healthy relationships gives some happiness but true­ happiness comes from within us, an inner satisfaction­ and peace that only God can give. Let no one make any­ mistake of that.

    From Laz O, on Fri 10 Apr 10:43AM

  7. money and fame supposedly are to bring you some level­ of joy and happiness- not totally though, but if you­ have the two and do not have happiness of whatever­ level,then something is majorly wrong!. he may say he­ is fine and he is not sick, that may not be very true­ entirely, sick people always say am ok!. listening to­ him he did not say WHAT exactly is wrong with his­ happiness.even if living in his notorious community and­ playing in italty is what he desires, he should come­ out and say it even if it may seem difficult to do.
    My­ advice,he should sincerely search inward and identify­ the 'sickness' with his hapiness so he can­ find a cure!

    From otuyelu, on Fri 10 Apr 10:22AM

  8. Well, let's hope he takes some time off (hopefully­ not getting drunk) and that he comes back with a­ renewed desire to play. I'm no particular fan of­ his in any way, but it's a shame to see a great­ talent lacking the personal stability to fulfil his­ promise. George Best comes to mind. But then again,­ these guys are people like you and me, so who are we­ really to sit and judge and get irked by them not­ entertaining us on the pitch for another 5-10 years of­ their lives? Let the man do what he wants. Let's­ just send him some thoughts of encouragement.

    From marcushultman, on Fri 10 Apr 10:15AM

  9. money and fame supposedly are to bring you joy and­ happiness, but if you have the two and do not have­ happiness,then something is majorly wrong!. he may say­ he is fine and he is not sick, that may not be very­ true entirely, sick people always am ok!.

    From otuyelu, on Fri 10 Apr 10:11AM

  10. comment 23, "giving up his 5 star living",­ yeah right, like he hasn't already amassed a small­ fortune. He didnt say he was going to give his millions­ and live like a normal man. I think he is just going to­ lie by his luxury pool and massive house and get drunk.­ Pretty much what he's done for the past 5 years­ then but now he's not even got to bother to go to­ work.

    From Paul T, on Fri 10 Apr 9:50AM

  11. Pour Adriano :( ...

    From MadoX, on Fri 10 Apr 9:21AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    goodbye fat boy.

    From JASON P, on Fri 10 Apr 9:20AM

  13. comment 19 - you sound like such a @#$% ! i admire him­ for what he is doing he is willing to give the 5 star­ lifestyle up in order to be happy. How many folk would­ do that honestly ? i think he is very wise, fame and­ fortune in a silent killer so many people in the past­ have been a victim to it. Good luck big man !

    From James, on Fri 10 Apr 9:10AM

  14. Adriano, Adriano, Adriano..... one of the worlds most­ lethal strikers to ever grace football, quiting soccer?­ I'm sure he has his reasons and I'm sure­ Mourinho's one of them. A break would be good for­ the lad, but I kinda believe that one should tackle a­ problem head on and not run from it, only if this is­ done will true happiness come back.....

    From Ehimare, on Fri 10 Apr 9:08AM

  15. @ shujaahmad2004 - Some people appreciate happiness­ more than fame and/or money believe it or not. I think­ its a brave thing what hes doing and i know a lot of­ footballers these days would not give up the money and­ fame.
    Best of luck to him whatever he ends up doing in­ his life.

    From suraya79s, on Fri 10 Apr 9:06AM

  16. brave decison, one should do something that he­ enjoys...
    good luck Adriano

    From Rabih, on Fri 10 Apr 8:38AM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    What ashame for the poor mite.Too fat,& TOO MUCH­ MONEY.mY HEART bleeds for him.
    Yet another example of­ an over paid Prima donna.
    Hes useless now any way.
    F--k­ off to to your hell hole back home////MARD ARSE

    From harkinsinturkey, on Fri 10 Apr 7:28AM

  18. good luck Adriano, Ronaldo will be replacing you now

    From dragan_9, on Fri 10 Apr 7:10AM

  19. correct me if i'm wrong, but i think his contract­ would be up in the summer... either way he wasnt­ getting much play time lately... he'll probably buy­ himself out of his contract......

    i do believe he­ will come back tho.. probably start playing at a­ Brazilian club again hopefully by the end of the year..­ just take a look at Nilmar... hes sprung back to life­ playing in brazil again, i'm sure Adri can do it as­ well~

    From Dada BRZ, on Fri 10 Apr 6:35AM

  20. can u do tht? isnt he has a contract with inter?

    From monyet_beracun, on Fri 10 Apr 4:48AM
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